An elk bridge in Northern California

Elk are getting smashed by trucks and cars in the northern reaches of California. Deer, bears and many more species are, too. In California, it’s estimated that there are more than 7,000 wildlife collisions per year, leading to more than 400 human injuries. 

When you think about highways and roadways, the story that likely comes to mind is that of P-22. This particular mountain lion gained fame in Los Angeles as the cat that somehow succeeded in crossing two freeways to live in Griffith Park.

Today, as a result of P-22’s story, there’s a wildlife bridge under construction to ensure that future cats and other animals need not make such a death defying trek. 

But shift your view from SoCal to NorCal, and the wildlife that come into focus are elk and deer. These large animals cross our roads, and sometimes don’t make it to the other side. 

Elk roadkill 

You wouldn’t want to hit a bull elk while traveling down a highway. Some are close to 1,000 pounds. That said, you wouldn’t want to hit a 300 lbs. male mule deer either. 

But hit them is what drivers do, again and again. Roadkill became such a problem in Northern California, that the state changed a law to allow the harvesting of the deceased animals, as long as one applied for a permit after the fact. The thinking was this: meat was going to waste, and meanwhile, some families were hungry. 

Right now in Siskiyou and Lassen Counties, Caltrans is conducting studies to determine potential sites for new wildlife crossings. 

“We are putting cameras on bridges and culverts and then some of the cameras are even put up at ground level so we can see what happens when the animal interacts with the road,” said Wes Stroud, Redding Environmental Office Supervisor.

This data will help Caltrans determine which structures need modifications or where new crossings should be constructed.

Better yet, one wildlife bridge is already under construction just north of Weed. It will be Northern California’s very first wildlife bridge and might be finished before the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, i.e. the P-22 bridge, in Los Angeles.

We get to witness this wildlife

In addition to elk and deer, squirrels, racoons, skunks and even bears have their lives cut short due to North State highways. With a bridge, not only will these creatures have a better shot at survival, we will have a better shot at witnessing it. Once construction is finished, Caltrans will install a wildlife cam that will enable us to see these animals cross the highway safely. Other cameras, like these in the Pacific Northwest, give us a glimpse of what wildlife crossings can do.

Northern California is joining the larger effort to reconnect nature. It helps immensely that the federal bipartisan infrastructure bill created a $350 million fund for states. 

Next up for Congress is passing the Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act, which will enhance, conserve and restore habitat along migration routes, giving  wildlife room to roam.